Who remembers when the term winter doldrums was frequently used? Not depression, not SAD, just the doldrums? Well, that’s where I’ve been this last week or two or month.
Was there a reason for it? No, not really. Ok maybe. But either way, after an extremely different Christmas season (dang Covid, not me but in the house), a lack of our planned activities followed up by a strange January start and added to with short days and long nights, and extended company, that’s where I’ve been for a month. Just blah.
It took until the 10th of January to get all my Christmas decorations put away this year. I usually do that on Jan 1st or 2nd. Oh and add in a rooster attack that set me back a couple days on what I was allowed to do. (Except for a lump on the bone in my hand that’s still pretty tender to touch, that’s all healed up now).
I had no energy, no desire, no looking forward to upcoming items, and had been self-medicating with chocolate and sugar for a month. Yes, I know chocolate and sugar aren’t really “medication” and there’s a huge price to pay in the long run, but the doldrums (with added stress this year) and away I went.
This morning, after two 12 hour nights of sleep (complete and utter exhaustion, physical and mental) and a two hour nap yesterday, I woke up to sunshine and…….. Hmmmm enthusiasm is too bright, but let’s say interest in what the day will bring. And two nights of that much sleep for someone with insomnia tells you how run down I was ( or depressed?).
So today I vacuum seal the excess chocolate that’s in the house to preserve it longer. I make sure I eat protein twice a day and drink more water and less soda. In other words, I start taking charge of me rather than letting external sources take charge of me.
And I enjoy every day of this cold but sunny weather for the next week. I am a child of the sunshine. Hopefully with a few dry days now I can get the floors really cleaned up. That’s hard to keep with dogs that have access to the backyard whenever they want. Especially when two young ones are just now learning that digging up the yard makes their humans really aggravated!
While I don’t miss northern winters, one thing I do miss about them is the brightness of the sunshine reflecting off the snow. So bright you needed sunglasses! But no, I’m not moving back north for winter sun reflections!
I do hope that if you’re suffering the winter doldrums they pass quickly.
For now I’m turning my chair so it’s back is to the room and it looks out the window while the sun is shining in and I have my morning coffee. Then it’s off to water plants in the greenhouse and start my day.
Goneaway Quilting 